Gatekeeper Read Free Page A

serious expression told her there was more. “We found blood which has already been sent to the crime lab for a DNA check.” Then his voice dropped to a whisper. “And Jillian, this is a difficult thing to tell you but—we’re treating this as a potential homicide.”
    Her heart lurched. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. Amy dead? Her hands started to shake. She was about to lose control. No, not here. Not here. She forced the thought from her mind. The blood could be anyone’s. It might not be Amy’s.
    But a gut suspicion told her it was. She knelt next to the eviscerated purse. Tic Tacs. A deck of Tarot cards in a blue velvet bag. A cell phone. A pair of purple dollar store reading glasses. But those things were not what twisted Jillian’s insides into hopeless mush.
    Amy’s change purse was filled with money. Debit and credit cards were tucked haphazardly into the side pockets of her wallet. The nearly empty checkbook had not been touched.
    This was no mugging.
    It would be so much easier to figure out if it were.
    But was it premeditated? Did the offender know Amy? Jillian quickly ruled out kidnapping for ransom. Amy did psychic readings for a living and to Jillian’s knowledge, didn’t even have a savings account much less investments or anything of great monetary value.
    The doleful coo of a mourning dove broke the quiet.
    Theo scratched his bald head. “What do you think she was doing up here?”
    Jillian shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her in a couple days. And besides, she usually doesn’t tell me what she’s up to. We have a rule never to discuss her…extrasensory perceptions.”
    She stood. “How long has the van been parked there? Someone must have reported it.”
    “You’re quite perceptive yourself,” Theo said. “The fellow who lives across the street thought some hippies were up here smoking weed and called it in. Apparently she showed up here around dusk yesterday evening.”
    Jillian blew out a breath. “Amy and that damn van. She really had a great time playing up the whole psychic persona thing.” Oh God. She’d said had . Think positive. We’re going to find her . “Did your caller say anything about seeing another vehicle?”
    Theo shook his head.
    “Of course there was no answer at her house.” It was more of a hopeful question than a statement.
    “Nope. An officer has already been there. He found a yapping little dog inside. Looked like it hadn’t been let out in awhile if you know what I mean.”
    Something was wrong. Really wrong. Amy would never have left Boo alone for that long. She adored that dog.
    “Jillian.” Theo was always dead serious when he started a statement with her name. Her gaze met his. Compassion warmed his dark brown eyes. “I have a family. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if something happened to my wife or kids.”
    For the first time a lump welled in her throat. Tears stung her eyes. Her mind raced with all the awful possibilities of what could have happened to her sister. She wished he’d stop talking this way. She was going to lose it right here in front of everyone. She fought hard to maintain control.
    “I’m not trying to upset you,” he said. “It’s just…I know you’re close to this case. Too close. Normally I wouldn’t allow a relative to be involved with the investigation. But you’ve got a sixth sense about these things. Everybody in the department knows it.”
    Jillian already felt the terror rising and this fear didn’t have anything to do with Amy’s disappearance. But then, Amy had never feared her psychic ability the way Jillian had. She shook her head and refused to let the images of the nightmare ghosts into her head.
    “You do. You’ve profiled more suspects than any of the other psychologists I’ve used. You’re dead on. Every time. Do you think you can get your head in this and profile the son of a bitch who took your sister?”
    Jillian swallowed. Hard. Could she? She gave him a